Climate and Vegetation History of the Taymyr Peninsula since Middle Weichselian Time - Palynological Evidence from Lake Sediments

Abstract

Within the scope of the Taymyr Project, detailed palynological investigations were carried out on two long sediment cores (10.6 and 22.4 m) from the lakes Lama and Levinson-Lessing. The results reveal continuous information concerning the vegetation and climate histories of the unglaciated southern and northern Taymyr Peninsula since probably Late and Middle Weichselian times, respectively. The Weichselian was characterized by a cold and dry climate leading to strongly reduced vegetation. The stadial setting was interrupted at least twice by relatively short, warm interstadials recorded in the lower part of the core from Levinson-Lessing Lake. These interstadials may represent parts of the Middle Weichselian. The Pleistocene/Holocene transition in both cores is characterized by a climatic warming trend during the Bolling, Allerod, and Preboreal periods, with interruptions during the Older (post-Bolling) and Younger Dryas events. The Holocene climatic optimum occurred during the late Preboreal and Boreal periods. During this time interval only, larch forests dominated at Lama Lake, and birch and later dense alder boscages at Levinson-Lessing Lake. Starting in the Atlantic period, a climatic deterioration took place, which favoured sedge and sweet grass communities at Levinson-Lessing Lake but did not significantly influence the forest vegetation at Lama Lake. The climatic deterioration continued up to the middle Subboreal period, when present climate and vegetation conditions were probably established. A comparison of these results with preliminary palynological data from the lakes Changeable, Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, and Kokora, central Taymyr Peninsula, yields new information concerning Weichselian and Holocene zonal vegetation shifts in northern Central Siberia.